It's A MulderScully Thing
by Corinna McDonald
Summary: Temperance asks Angela who the heck Mulder and Scully are. BoothBrennan


A/N: Hi! I usually write CSI, but I've recently gotten into Bones and just love the chemistry between Booth and Brennan. I'm working on a longer multi-chap fic, but I thought a nice fluffy one-shot might be a good way to introduce myself into the Bones community and get those Bones-y juices flowing. Hope you enjoy!

Angela Montenegro sighed and gave up working on the latest victim's facial reconstruction. "All right, Bren, just ask. I can tell it's killing you."

"Who's Mulder? And who's Scully?"

Angela eyed her. "Why do you ask?"

Temperance blushed. "No reason. It's just that Booth mentioned we were like Mulder and Scully and I don't know who Mulder and Scully are, so that reference makes no sense."

"Booth compared you to Mulder and Scully?"

"Yes. Who are they? Are they scientists? Because I've never heard of them before."

"They're sort of scientists." Angela hesitated.

"How can you be sort of a scientist?"

"You really don't watch any TV, do you?" Angela cocked her head. "Okay, listen. Come over tonight and I will explain who Mulder and Scully are."

"Popcorn?" Angela asked, offering Temperance the bowl.

"Sure." Temperance grabbed a handful. "Why do we need popcorn though?"

"This is why." Angela held up a DVD case.

"Ange, I thought you were going to explain who Mulder and Scully are."

"I am." Angela pointed to the DVD case. "These are Mulder and Scully."

"Mulder and Scully are television characters?" Brennan grabbed the case. "What the Hell is the X-Files?"

"It was this show about these two federal agents who investigate paranormal stuff and have all this sexual tension."

"Huh?"

"Just watch."

"Bones!" Booth shouted from outside her office.

Temperance jumped. "Booth. Hi." She fidgeted nervously.

"What's your deal?" Booth squinted.

"I don't –"

"Never mind." Booth shook his head. "I was just stopping by to see if you were up for lunch."

"Uh, sure." Brennan signed off her on one last report. "Let's go."

"So, how's Parker doing?"  
"Fine. Booth accepted his bowl of wonton soup from Sid. "He's learning to read. He's an amazing kid."

"Very precocious." Brennan agreed. "And Rebecca?"

"I wouldn't know. We don't talk." Booth glanced down at the table.

"Sorry."

"No problem." Booth shrugged it off.

"How's Cullen?"

"He's taking some time off. For his daughter."

"She's getting worse?"

"The doctors gave her three months."

Brennan sighed. "Jesus."

"Hey, watch the blasphemy. I'm Catholic."

"Pardon."

"I don't know how I would deal with it if I lost Parker." Booth said quietly. "He's my life."

Both Booth and Brennan were quiet for a moment.

"Do you really think we're like Mulder and Scully?" Brennan asked suddenly.

"What?" Booth choked on his beer.

"Us. Mulder and Scully."

"I thought you didn't get that reference."

"I asked Angela. She explained it to me and made me watch a season."

"Of course she did." Booth set down his chopsticks. "Which season?"

"I don't know. The one where they had sex." Brennan lowered her voice.

Booth shook his head. "What did Angela say to you?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Mulder and Scully. The X-Files. They had sex. And they were partners. Were you making some obscure sexual reference?"

"Uh, no. I was referring to the crime-fighting partners part. Why – oh geez, I am going to _kill_ Angela."

"Why? What did she do?"

"She's playing yenta!"

"I seriously –"

"Fiddler on the Roof. Rent a movie." Booth raked his hand through his hair. "Look, Bones, I don't know what Angela told you, but I didn't mean for that to be a sexual reference."

"Because I –"

"You, what?" Booth sat up straight.

"I think we're great partners and I'm glad that we're friends." Brennan said. "And I would hate for something like an unintentional joke to come between us."

"Right. Friends." Booth seemed to deflate.

"What?"

"I – Bones, I'm not going to go into the details, but you're not exactly like a lot of the women I've known."

"Okay." Temperance narrowed her eyes. "This is awkward and confusing."

"Bones – Temperance. I know you're dating David…"

"Not anymore. We broke up last week."

"Well, I feel like over this past year we've gotten to know each other really well and I think you should know that I think I've developed…feelings for you."

It was Temperance's turn to choke on her beer.

"Yeah." Booth stood and tossed down enough money to cover the bill. "See you on Monday."

Booth contemplated stopping at the grocery store for a six pack, but that would have just been too pathetic. Instead he settled for one bottle of beer in the park while sitting on the hood of his SUV. He stayed out for hours, nursing his beer, only realizing how late it was when they sky turned dark pink.

_How pathetic._ Booth sneered at himself. _I'm in love with a woman who is completely socially inept and isn't even remotely who I pictured myself ending up with. She doesn't go to the movies, she hates my taste in music, and she doesn't want kids. I want a big family and she doesn't. And I admitted…oh, God._ Booth was to distressed even to feel guilty about blaspheming.

Booth sighed heavily and threw the beer bottle in a nearby garbage can. At least he didn't have to see Temperance until Monday. Hopefully by then he would be able to pretend like nothing had happened between Brennan and himself.

Yeah. Right.

Booth started the car and drove home in complete silence to find Temperance sitting on his doorstep.

"Bones." He slammed the car door shut. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you." She said nervously. "I know that I don't get a lot of your jokes and that we're complete opposites. But I don't want to have things between us be awkward. Because you really are a great partner. And I'm really sorry about…Wong Foo's."

"Bones, let's just drop it." Booth locked his car and unlocked his front door.

"Booth, wait." Temperance hesitated. "Can we…uh…talk?"

Booth wouldn't meet Temperance's eyes.

"Booth?"

"Fine. Come in." Booth ushered Temperance inside.

"Nice place." Brennan glanced around.

"Bones, please. Allow me to retain some shred of my dignity."

"Booth, Angela's been after me all year to see that you…want me. And I wouldn't believe it. Because I am the last woman I would expect you to want. I'm not your usual type. It doesn't take eight years of graduate work and a doctorate to recognize that. And that scares the Hell out of me. Because what if you decide that a change was fun for a while, but not any more? I know you think I'm rational to the core, but I'm not. I have feelings for you too. Platonic love, at least. Maybe more. I just don't want to ruin our friendship. You're the first non-scientist and the first man I've ever really been friends with. So…that was my apology."

"It was a very good apology."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Booth pulled out a canister of Folger's. "Can I get you some coffee?" Booth finally asked.

"Please."

They stood hip-to-hip in Booth's tiny kitchen while the coffee percolated.

"So, we're still going to be friends? I mean, and try to be more than friends?" She glanced up at Booth.

"Yeah."

"So, I hate to sound trite, but what happens? We date and then what?"

'Then, maybe you become my lobster."

"What? Booth, I swear to God –"

"Bones." Booth cut her off with two fingers to her lips and his cocky, ever-infuriating smirk.

"What?"

"Shut up." Booth leaned over and touched his lips to hers, cupping her neck with a rough palm. "Thank you."

"For what?" Brennan looked surprised.

"For being you."

A/N: Well, that was it! My first complete Bones fic! I hope you guys enjoyed it very much and remember, reviews are like crack. I love concrit if you have helpful advice, but please, please, please, please, please remember that this was supposed to be fluffy and mildly OOC. (!) Flames will used to roast marshmallows and make s'mores. (Yummy, yummy in my tummy!)


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